Herschel Walker

Birthday

Mar 3, 1962

Bio:

Georgia-born running back Herschel Walker first became a famous name in the annals of football history during his college career, playing for the University of Georgia. By the end of his first year, he'd set the freshman rushing record, and by his third, he was an All-American and winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy. The next season, Walker decided to… MoreBio:

Georgia-born running back Herschel Walker first became a famous name in the annals of football history during his college career, playing for the University of Georgia. By the end of his first year, he'd set the freshman rushing record, and by his third, he was an All-American and winner of the 1982 Heisman Trophy. The next season, Walker decided to skip his final year of college ball and turn pro, a move that was against the rules set by the National Football League, but was possible through the newly formed United States Football League, which had no such rule. Walker had arguably been the best college player in football history and was a hot commodity for the New Jersey Generals, owned by celebrity mogul Donald Trump. The career-minded athlete logged an impressive record with the Generals, but the USFL proved to be a failure, dissolving after three seasons.

In 1985, Walker was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys, where he established himself as a top-tier running back in the NFL. He was traded to the Vikings two years later in a disastrous move on the part of team owners, who sacrificed five players to attain the rights to Walker. Though the situation was out of his hands, the misstep cast the player in a harsh light, and coaches became reluctant to give him substantial time on the field. Over the next decade, he played for the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Giants, but was eventually traded back to the Cowboys, where coaches were happy to put him back in the game. He spent the final two seasons of his career with the team before retiring in 1997.

Off the field, Walker pursued other avenues to athleticism, competing in the two-man bobsled at the 1992 Winter Olympics and participating in the U.S. Superstars competition. The retired player also became a born-again Christian and published an autobiography in 2008 titled Breaking Free, in which he claimed to suffer from Disassociative Identity Disorder, also known as Multiple Personality Disorder.